Nankhatai Recipe (Indian Cookies): A Buttery, Crumbly Delight Made with Ghee
There’s nothing quite like the aroma of freshly baked Nankhatai wafting through the kitchen—sweet, nutty, and gently spiced. This traditional Indian cookie is a fusion of texture and flavor: crisp on the outside, melt-in-the-mouth on the inside, and full of warm notes from cardamom and nutmeg. Made without eggs and relying on ghee for richness, Nankhatai is a favorite during festive occasions like Diwali, Eid, and Holi—but it’s just as perfect for everyday chai-time indulgence.
This easy homemade Nankhatai recipe uses a blend of all-purpose flour, gram flour (besan), and semolina for the perfect texture. With powdered sugar, a pinch of salt, and fragrant spices, the dough comes together with just your hands—no mixer needed. A dollop of sliced almonds and pistachios on top adds the final touch. Baked at 350°F for about 17 minutes, these cookies emerge golden and delicate. Just let them cool completely before touching, and you’ll be rewarded with bakery-style results right from your oven.
How to Make Authentic Nankhatai: Eggless Indian Shortbread Cookies with Gram Flour and Semolina
If you’re looking for an easy cookie recipe that’s big on flavor and tradition, Nankhatai checks all the boxes. These eggless Indian shortbread cookies are simple to make, require minimal ingredients, and deliver a rich, crumbly texture that comes from using ghee instead of butter or oil. Unlike most Western cookies, Nankhatai combines flours like maida, besan, and sooji—each contributing to its signature flavor and bite. The addition of cardamom and nutmeg gives it that unmistakable Indian bakery aroma we all know and love.
This recipe walks you through every step: from preparing the dry mix to shaping crack-free balls and topping them with nuts. The key is using semi-solid ghee—too soft or too firm and your dough may not hold. And don’t rush the cooling process! These cookies are fragile fresh out of the oven and need time to set. With these tips in mind, your homemade Nankhatai will be perfectly golden, aromatic, and ready to impress family, friends—or just satisfy your own sweet tooth.
Nankhatai Recipe (Indian Cookies)
18
servings15
minutes18
minutes96
kcalIngredients
1 cup All purpose flour (Maida)
½ cup Besan (gram flour)
2 tablespoons Sooji (rava or semolina)
½ cup Powdered sugar (Confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar)
1/8 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
1/8 teaspoon Freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup Ghee (clarified butter) at room temperature (in semi-solid form)
1 tablespoon Almonds sliced
1 tablespoon Pistachios sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven 350°F (180°C) for at least 10 minutes.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep it ready.
Take dry ingredients (all purpose flour, besan, semolina, salt, cardamom powder and nutmeg) in a bowl. Whisk it until everything is incorporated well.
Add ghee (NOTE: Ghee should be at room temperature in semi-solid form.)
Start mixing it using a spatula. When it gets like a crumbly texture switch to your hands and start kneading. The warmth from your palm will melt the ghee slightly and it helps to form the dough. The dough should be smooth (not loose or sticky).
Now take a tablespoon size of dough, start rolling and make a smooth, crack-free ball.
Make an indentation in the center with the help of your finger.
Place the cookies few inches apart on the prepared baking tray.
Add sliced almonds and pistachios in the center.
Bake into the preheated oven for 17-18 minutes.
Let the cookies cool down in the pan itself for 10 minutes. Don’t touch them, they might get break or fall apart. Then transfer them on the cooling rack using a spatula and let nankhatai cool down completely.
Notes
- Fat amount: Do not reduce the amount of ghee. The fat vs flour ratio has to be right to achieve a flaky texture.
- Fat consistency: Ghee has to be at room temperature in semi-solid form (check ingredient pic of the reference.) If it’s in the solid form then you won’t be able to knead the dough. If it’s melted then you’ll end up with the loose, sticky dough.
- Flour: You can use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour. But the texture will be slightly dense.
- The dough became loose and sticky: This may happen if you are living in a hot climate and ghee is melted while kneading the dough. If so, chill the dough in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. So ghee will solidify slightly and it won’t be soft anymore.
- Nankhatai crumbled up: You have touched them too soon. Let them cool completely before touching or lifting by hand. As they come out from the oven, they are still soft and fragile. Let it cool down in the pan itself without disturbing for 10 minutes. They will firm up during this cooling time. Then using a spatula transfer them to the cooling rack and let them cool down completely.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookies | Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 43mg
Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
